1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a copying method, and a computer product for an image forming system having a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected via a communication line.
2) Description of the Related Art
When a user makes a photocopy of a document using a conventional image forming apparatus like a digital copying machine, an automatic document feeder (ADF) is usually used. The user sets a desired number of copies by operating a key on an operation panel, sets original documents on a document tray, and then starts copying by pressing a start key on the operation panel. The ADF automatically feeds each sheet of the original documents set on the document tray. A scanner sequentially reads images from each of the documents, and image data read by the scanner are stored in an image memory, repeating the process until all of the documents set on the document tray are read. After the reading process is completed, the image data of the documents stored in the image memory are sequentially transferred to a plotter (i.e. printer) to make photocopies of the original documents by the preset number of copies.
On the other hand, if the ADF is not mounted on the image forming apparatus, the user sets a desired number of copies by operating a key on the operation panel, sets one sheet of original documents on a reading position, for example, on an exposure glass, of the scanner, and starts copying by pressing the start key on the operation panel. The user repeats the process for each of the documents until all of the documents are copied. Each time when a user starts copying, the scanner reads image data from each document, and stores the image data in the image memory. Then the image data are transferred to the plotter repeatedly to make photocopies of the original document by the preset number of copies.
With the conventional image forming apparatus equipped with the ADF, however, when the number of original documents to be copied exceeds a maximum number of sheets that can be accommodated on the document tray, the user has to set a portion of the original documents that can be processed at one time using the ADF, and then repeat the copying process for the rest of the original documents. Consequently, the operation efficiency is poor, and it takes much time to complete copying all of the original documents.
With an image forming apparatus that is not equipped with the ADF, the situation is even worse. When there are a large number of original documents to be copied, the series of operation should be performed with repetition by the number of original documents. Consequently, the operation efficiency is poor, and it takes considerable time to complete copying all of the documents.